Irani Cup 2024: Ajinkya Rahane to Lead Mumbai; Shreyas Iyer and Shardul Thakur Set to Return: Report

Mumbai will be bolstered with the likes of Shreyas Iyer and Shardul Thakur set to return to the squad ahead of the Irani Cup match against the Rest of India (ROI).

According to a report by Cricbuzz, both Iyer and Thakur will be part of the Mumbai squad for the coming Irani Cup which is scheduled to take place in Lucknow from October 1 to 5. The side will be led by Ajinkya Rahane who led the side to the Ranji Trophy title last year.

Thakur’s return to the side will be positive news for the Mumbai squad as the side will be looking to capitalise on his all-round capabilities during their Irani Cup fixture.  He had been out of action after undergoing ankle surgery in June.

“He recently participated in the KSCA tournament, and according to a top MCA official, he has made himself available for the five-day first-class fixture. The MCA is expected to announce the squad on Tuesday,” the report read.

Meanwhile, Iyer is looking to make a comeback to international cricket after not being selected in India for the Bangladesh Test series at home. He recently featured for India D, captaining the side in the Duleep Trophy 2024 tournament where they finished at the bottom with six points in the three games played.

Iyer finished the Duleep Trophy with just 154 runs at an average of just 25.67, indicating that he is far from his best form with the bat. The upcoming domestic season could prove to be the platform for Iyer to help re-establish himself as a force within the domestic setup and also help him be reconsidered for selection.

Currently, the national team will look to extend their dominance at home conditions as they play Bangladesh in the second Test in Kanpur beginning on September 27 through to October 1.

Iyer would hope to establish himself with big and consistent performances in the domestic circuit as the calendar winds down to the headline Test event of the year, the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024 in Australia.